The board rejected arguments made by Post’s attorneys that he deserves mercy because of lingering doubts about his ‘‘legal and moral guilt’’ in a woman’s death, but it said it couldn’t ignore perceived missteps by his lawyers.

The board’s recommendation, by a vote of 5 to 3, goes to Kasich, who has the final say. Post is scheduled to die Jan. 16 for killing Elyria motel clerk Helen Vantz in a 1983 robbery.

‘‘Post took Vantz’s life, devastating the lives of her loved ones in the process,’’ the board said.

But it said a majority of its members agreed his sentence should be commuted to life in prison without chance of parole because of omissions, missed opportunities, and questionable decisions made by his previous attorneys and inadequte legal representation.

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